A few weeks back we posted about a Douglas Kirkland exhibit featuring his photos of Coco Chanel, as well as his book on the same subject.  In addition to taking personal portraits of Coco Chanel, Douglas Kirkland has worked with a virtual who’s who of Hollywood including Marilyn Monroe, Sophia Loren, Audrey Hepburn, Jack Nicholson and Elizabeth Taylor.  He’s one of the masters at capturing a person’s essence on film so we were happy to stumle upon a short feature on him on Fine Art TV.  The short film includes photos, interviews with people who have worked with him and an interview with Douglas Kirkland himself.  Portrait - Douglas Kirkland, Living Legend was great because you actually got to hear Kirkland speak about his craft and it’s very rare to hear someone with so much talent talk about his work.  Portrait - Douglas Kirkland, Living Legend was very inspiring and you can view the film online here.

Last Friday, I attended the opening of Westwood Gallery’s exhibition of Douglas Kirkland’s intimate and never before seen photos of Coco Chanel at work taken over 3 weeks in 1962. At the young age of 27, Douglas Kirkland, at the time a staff photographer for Look Magazine, and who is best known for his famous photographs of Marilyn Monroe, spent an unprecedented amount of time behind the scenes with Mademoiselle Chanel capturing her intense daily routine of designing, fitting models, seeing clients and meeting friends.

This exhibition will be open until November 29th, 2008, and I highly recommend seeing it in person if you would like to experience the passionate inner workings of the process of the one and only Coco Chanel.

The photos are also available in this book by Douglas Kirkland, Coco Chanel: Three Weeks 1962.

All photos are copywritten in 1962 by Douglas Kirkland, and printed in 2008. Most of the following photo descriptions came from the gallery, when I could capture them.

Westwood Gallery
568 Broadway, NYC
212-925-5700

Coco Chanel at her private apartment at the House of Chanel

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A little while back we told you about the release of photographer Douglas Kirkland’s book, Coco Chanel: Three Weeks/1962, that features never before seen photos of the fashion icon in some of her most intimate and public moments.  To commemorate the release of the book, the Westwood Gallery in NYC is showcasing 40 of Douglas Kirkland’s photos of Mademoiselle Chanel.

In 1962, Douglas Kirkland spent 3 weeks with Coco Chanel following her every move and documenting her routine and her work.  When Kirkland approached her about the project, she was hesitant and asked that he submit photos of models wearing her collection so that she could get a sense of his work.  She was so taken with his photography skills that she allowed him full access to her and her private rooms.  They even went to Versaille to photograph the Grand Dame there.  These photos are definitely going to be something special because they will show Chanel in her most intimate moments as never seen before.  And, to see them enlarged, all together in one room will surely be breathtaking.  The exhibit runs from October 18 - November 29 at Westwood Gallery, 568 Broadway, NY, NY.

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Famed photographer Douglas Kirkland is releasing Coco Chanel: Three Weeks/1962, a series of photographs he took of Gabrielle Chanel at her Paris atelier across from the Ritz in 1962.  Many of the photos are from Kirkland’s archives and some of the photos have never been seen before.  The photos document Mademoiselle’s work process from interacting with models to working alone, long into the night.  I buy all Chanel books that I can get my hands on and I can’t wait to see never-seen-before photos of the master taken by such a talented photographer such as Douglas Kirkland.  The book releases on Monday, August 25th, but you can pre-order now on Amazon and get free shipping!

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